I wanted to write something about the great progress being carried on linux as OS of choice for a professional Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) since a long time. With the inclusion of the Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) into the 2.6 kernels, time has come to extend my experiences to all of you.

It's worth bearing in mind what the point of all this software is. That is, to make music.

Being told that Linux software is unready because it lacks this or that feature, is like someone saying they can't make a film, as all they have is a very high quality camera and editing suite.

As long as you can record, edit and mix with a few common plugins (comp,eq etc), you can make an album.

Too much emphasis is placed nowadays on the tools we use to make music, rather than the ideas and abilities of the musicians.

What is wrong with most music is not a lack of plugins used, soft synths or obscure editing features, it's a lack of ideas, arrangement skills, good lyrics and inspiration. Unfortunately, without those qualities, the music is poor, whether it is recorded on a $30,000 pro tools rig, or free software. You cannot learn to create a good mix just by increasing the variety of plugin effects you are using.

I work professionally as a producer, and have done for some years now, and have found that 80% of what makes a good record is not about how much you fiddle with the computer. The song, performance, room, mics, pres and players abilitys are far more important.

Of there are caveats, the software has to be reliable to allow this. That is my main problem with Linux audio software at the moment. Also, if the music you make is fundamentaly electronic in nature, you need the instruments you have learnt to play, be that Reason, SSM, Fruity Loops, JMax or Hydrogen. They are instruments after all, and expecting someone who has learnt to play one to instantly move to an unfamiliar instrument is like expecting a guitarist to pick up a trumpet and solo.

But really, if people are honest about what their music lacks, choice of plugins is rarely the biggest problem.